Sheriff Tom Dart Stops Evicting People In Cook County (Another Ray)

The good Sheriff got sick of his deputies having to throw unsuspecting renters out of houses because their landlords had defaulted. His decision deserves much wider coverage, and imitation. In the clip above, Dart explains to a Cook County judge, "We have law abiding people, great people of our community, who are playing by the rules. And they're playing by the rules and then they show up and their stuff is in the street. And that's just wrong!" (Thank you, Mr. Dart, for being a Human Being.)

An article in the the Chicago Tribune has a story that quotes Dart, and also gives ample fair-n-balance space to some financial types who say he should be shot for upsetting the natural order and ending the system of banking as we know it. But here's how it starts out:

As the nationwide mortgage crisis puts the squeeze on homeowners, the Cook County sheriff's office is on pace to evict more people than ever from foreclosed homes.

At least it was until Wednesday, when Sheriff Tom Dart announced he wouldn't do it anymore.

Dart cited the growing number of evictions that involve rent-paying tenants who suddenly learn their building is in foreclosure because the landlord neglected to pay the mortgage. By refusing to do any foreclosure-related evictions, the hope is that banks will change their policies.

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